McLaren man Andreas Seidel 'fired up and ready to roll'

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Future McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl is impatient to start work with the Woking-based outfit according to Carlos Sainz, who has been impressed by the German's fervor.

Seidl will join McLaren upon the conclusion of his gardening leave period with Porsche which ends on May 1.

However, the man who guided the German manufacturer's successful WEC LMP1 programme has already informally met his future colleagues, including McLaren's drivers, when he paid the team a visit last month in Bahrain.

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"I did meet him at the grand prix," said Sainz, quoted by Crash.net's Luke Smith.

"I did get a chance to say hello and have our first conversation and I was happy to meet him.

"I could see he was impatient to join the team, which is something I like. I like seeing people fired up and ready to roll. It was fun having our first conversation."

Seidl has been handed "responsibility for all aspects of the team's F1 racing programme" and will report directly to McLaren chief executive Zak Brown.

While Sainz was left with a positive impression after his first encounter with his future boss, he insisted that he had yet to learn what plans or changes Seidl had in mind for McLaren.

"What I can tell you is that he gave me a very good impression in general," he said.

"I saw he was very switched on, waiting to jump into the team as soon as possible but unfortunately there is this gardening period.

"I don’t need much more than to know he’s switched on and hungry to go."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.